Windsor Student Heads to the White House to Represent Connecticut After Winning 2016 Healthy Lunchtime Challenge

Ten year-old Windsor student, Kalaya Moody, will be making a trip to the White House after winning Michelle Obama's Healthy Lunchtime Challenge – a nationwide recipe challenge for kids that promotes cooking and healthy eating as part of the first lady's Let's Move! Initiative.

Kalaya who attends John F. Kennedy School won the competition with her “Springtime Lunchtime” recipe. One winner from each of the 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia have been chosen. The winning chefs will serve as healthy food ambassadors for their state or territory and will be flown to Washington D.C. with a parent or guardian to attend a Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House hosted by Mrs. Obama on Thursday, July 14, 2016. Kids will also have the opportunity to learn from Rachael Ray, television personality and member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition.

The 56 young chefs and a parent or guardian will join the First Lady for a healthy lunch, featuring a selection of the winning recipes, followed by a visit to the White House Kitchen Garden.

Kalaya’s Recipe for Springtime Lunchtime

4 Servings
200 calories, 8g fat, 16g carbohydrates, 16g protein

INGREDIENTS:

Bird's Egg Nests:
4 eggs
1/2 cup cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded carrots
2/3 cup alfalfa sprouts
8 sprigs cilantro
8 yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

French Toast Flowers:
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 tablespoon butter
2 slices whole-wheat bread
1 cherry tomato, halved
2 blueberries

Bird's Apple Nest:
1 medium apple, peeled and cored
12 blueberries

Smoothie:

1 cup of nonfat plain yogurt

1 cup of banana

1 ½ cup of strawberries

PREPARATION:

1. To make the Egg Bird's Nest:
--Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
--Oil 4 muffin cups and place in a muffin tin pan.
--In a small bowl, mix one egg with a fork. Pour the egg into a muffin cup. Repeat with the next three muffin cups.
--Place muffin pan in the oven for 4 minutes.
--Remove from the oven and add 1/4 of chicken, carrots, sprouts, cilantro, and tomatoes into each egg.
--Place muffin pan back into oven and cook for another 15 minutes.
--Take out and let cool for 3 minutes; cover to keep warm.

2. To make French Toast Flowers:
--Mix the egg in a bowl with milk and cinnamon.
--In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter on low heat.
--Use a flower-shaped cookie cutter to cut 2 flower shapes out of each slice of bread.
--Dip and cover the bread flowers in the egg mixture.
--Add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
--Transfer to plates.
--Add a halved cherry red tomato in the center of 2 of the French toast flowers and a blueberry in the center of the other 2 French toast flowers.

3. To make the Bird's Apple Nest:
--Cut the apple into spirals or cut around as if peeling to make the bird's nests out of the apple. It will make four small bird's nests.
--Top each bird's nest with 3 blueberries.
--Serve 1 Egg Bird's Nest, 1 French Toast, and 1 Apple Bird's Nest on each plate.

4. To make the Smoothie:

--Add 1 cup of nonfat plain yogurt to blender.

--Take 1 large banana and measure cup of the banana. Add the 1 cup of banana to the blender.

--Then add washed fresh strawberries that have been cut in half. Remember to take the leaves off the tops of the strawberries.

--Blend for about 30 – 60 seconds.

--Pour into two glasses.

For a complete list of winners and featured recipes, please visit http://www.pbs.org/parents/lunchtimechallenge/winners/.

About Windsor Public Schools:

Windsor Public Schools serves nearly 4,000 students in the community of Windsor, Connecticut, a town located in north central Connecticut between Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts. Windsor Public Schools is comprised of six schools: Oliver Ellsworth School, Poquonock School, Clover Street School, John F. Kennedy School, Sage Park Middle School, and Windsor High School. The mission of Windsor Public Schools is to develop the genius in every child and to create life-long learners. For more information about the Windsor Board of Education and any of its schools, please visit www.windsorct.org.